Aoba Johsai's current lineup was their strongest, but Karasuno had a secret weapon: their other Ace, third-year Azumane Asahi, still brimming with energy.
Coach Ukai had planned for this. Consecutive matches against a powerhouse like Aoba Johsai—second only to Shiratorizawa in Miyagi Prefecture—would be grueling. Saving Azumane for this moment was a deliberate strategy.
If Karasuno had managed to win the first two sets 2–0, that would have been ideal. But if not, Azumane would coordinate with Hayato, giving them a dual Ace advantage.
"Azumane-senpai, guide me," Hayato said, extending his fist with a smile.
"Leave it to me," Azumane replied, lightly bumping fists.
The second set was lost, but lingering on that defeat was useless. The third set was all that mattered.
Daichi, standing nearby, patted Azumane's shoulder.
"We've become good rivals with Aoba Johsai, playing full three-set matches," he said with a smile.
During the Inter-High preliminaries, Hayato hadn't joined yet. Karasuno had only Hinata and Kageyama's Freak Quick. Even then, they had fought through a full three-set match against Aoba Johsai, trailing in the score.
Now, history repeated itself—but this time, Karasuno had led in the first two sets. With new members, evolved first-years, and more mature teamwork, they were steadily transforming into a powerhouse.
"Yes," Daichi continued, "during IH we had to go all out just to keep up. Now, it's Aoba Johsai's turn to push themselves to keep up with us."
Sugawara appeared on Azumane's other shoulder, mimicking Daichi's gesture, patting him with a grin.
Hayato, seeing the three seniors surrounding him, felt no nervousness. He understood their intent: to distract him from overthinking, to prevent the first set's errors from affecting his play.
"Seniors, reminiscing about the past is something only old men do. What matters now is winning the third set," Hayato said.
"You brat, carefree as always," Sugawara chuckled, ruffling Hayato's hair.
The other two followed suit, quickly turning Hayato's hair into a messy bird's nest.
Looking at their handiwork, the three exchanged amused smiles. Their laughter spread, infecting the second-years. Tanaka and the others burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.
"Pfft, hahaha! Hayato, your hair's a complete bird's nest! If the girls at school saw this, your image would be ruined!"
Hayato shot Tanaka a glare but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Kageyama, if you want to laugh, just laugh. Don't hold it in, pfft."
Hinata was the first first-year to crack up. Kageyama tried to hold back but soon joined in. Yamaguchi snickered quietly, and even Tsukishima hid a smirk behind his hand.
"Seriously, is it that funny?" Hayato muttered, watching everyone.
Even Kiyoko couldn't help but laugh quietly behind her notebook.
"It's the contrast," Ennoshita explained, patting Hayato's shoulder. "Usually, you look so composed. Now, with a bird's nest hairdo, it's hilarious."
Hayato shrugged and let them laugh. If they could joke now, it meant morale was high.
The Karasuno cheering squad in the stands took note.
"Hitoka-chan, look at them! Hayato and the others are so happy."
"Yes! The second-set loss didn't affect them at all!" Hitoka clenched her fists. Even from the stands, the team's cheerful energy lifted spirits.
On Aoba Johsai's side, Iwaizumi watched Karasuno's laughter, frowning at number 13.
"Annoying, especially that rookie. He'll probably reach Ushijima's level in a year," he muttered to Oikawa.
Oikawa scowled. "Geniuses. I hate them."
From scouting reports, he knew Hayato had only played volleyball for a year. And yet—this level? Impossible to ignore.
The timeout ended. Players walked onto the court one by one. When Hayato and Azumane appeared together, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"As expected, Karasuno's number 3 is their secret weapon!"
"He left a deep impression in the Wakutani match. Now, fully energized, he's back on court. Aoba Johsai's in trouble!"
"Wait, isn't he just a substitute?"
"You don't understand…"
Oikawa's heart tensed. He had prepared psychologically for this, but seeing Karasuno openly fielding two Aces made even him uneasy.
"Iwaizumi, we have to go all out for the third set," he said with a bitter smile.
Iwaizumi remained calm. "We expected this when that rookie became a starter. We saw their combination against Wakutani—they're strong, but not unbeatable. Stamina? We push through with spirit."
"Whoa, so passionate," Oikawa remarked.
"What else? Give up? We still have Shiratorizawa ahead. No stopping now."
In the stands, Saeko's excitement mirrored the players'. The dual Ace strategy meant Karasuno had a massive advantage in the third set.
"This is it! The double Ace combo is back! Huge advantage for Karasuno!"
"Wait, they're really putting in Azumane?!" Takinoue exclaimed. Shimada explained the Wakunan match context.
"So that means the third set is ours to take!" Takinoue laughed, clapping Shimada on the back.
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